Chapter 19（1 / 3）

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INWHICHANOTABLEPLANISDISCUSSEDANDDETERMINEDON

Itwasachill，damp，windynight，whentheJew：buttoninghisgreat-coattightroundhisshrivelledbody，andpullingthecollarupoverhisearssoascompletelytoobscurethelowerpartofhisface：emergedfromhisden。Hepausedonthestepasthedoorwaslockedandchainedbehindhim；andhavinglistenedwhiletheboysmadeallsecure，anduntiltheirretreatingfootstepswerenolongeraudible，slunkdownthestreetasquicklyashecould。

ThehousetowhichOliverhadbeenconveyed，wasintheneighborhoodofWhitechapel。TheJewstoppedforaninstantatthecornerofthestreet；and，glancingsuspiciouslyround，crossedtheroad，andstruckoffinthedirectionoftheSpitalfields。

Themudlaythickuponthestones，andablackmisthungoverthestreets；therainfellsluggishlydown，andeverythingfeltcoldandclammytothetouch。ItseemedjustthenightwhenitbefittedsuchabeingastheJewtobeabroad。Asheglidedstealthilyalong，creepingbeneaththeshelterofthewallsanddoorways，thehideousoldmanseemedlikesomeloathsomereptile，engenderedintheslimeanddarknessthroughwhichhemoved：crawlingforth，bynight，insearchofsomerichoffalforameal。

Hekeptonhiscourse，throughmanywindingandnarrowways，untilhereachedBethnalGreen；then，turningsuddenlyofftotheleft，hesoonbecameinvolvedinamazeofthemeananddirtystreetswhichaboundinthatcloseanddensely-populatedquarter。

TheJewwasevidentlytoofamiliarwiththegroundhetraversedtobeatallbewildered，eitherbythedarknessofthenight，ortheintricaciesoftheway。Hehurriedthroughseveralalleysandstreets，andatlengthturnedintoone，lightedonlybyasinglelampatthefartherend。Atthedoorofahouseinthisstreet，heknocked；havingexchangedafewmutteredwordswiththepersonwhoopenedit，hewalkedupstairs。

Adoggrowledashetouchedthehandleofaroom-door；andaman'svoicedemandedwhowasthere。

‘Onlyme，Bill；onlyme，mydear，’saidtheJewlookingin。

‘Bringinyourbodythen，’saidSikes。‘Liedown，youstupidbrute！Don'tyouknowthedevilwhenhe'sgotagreat-coaton？’

Apparently，thedoghadbeensomewhatdeceivedbyMr。Fagin'soutergarment；forastheJewunbuttonedit，andthrewitoverthebackofachair，heretiredtothecornerfromwhichhehadrisen：wagginghistailashewent，toshowthathewasaswellsatisfiedasitwasinhisnaturetobe。

‘Well！’saidSikes。

‘Well，mydear，’repliedtheJew。--‘Ah！Nancy。’

Thelatterrecognitionwasutteredwithjustenoughofembarrassmenttoimplyadoubtofitsreception；forMr。Faginandhisyoungfriendhadnotmet，sinceshehadinterferedinbehalfofOliver。Alldoubtsuponthesubject，ifhehadany，werespeedilyremovedbytheyounglady'sbehaviour。Shetookherfeetoffthefender，pushedbackherchair，andbadeFagindrawuphis，withoutsayingmoreaboutit：foritwasacoldnight，andnomistake。

‘Itiscold，Nancydear，’saidtheJew，ashewarmedhisskinnyhandsoverthefire。‘Itseemstogorightthroughone，’addedtheoldman，touchinghisside。

‘Itmustbeapiercer，ifitfindsitswaythroughyourheart，’saidMr。Sikes。‘Givehimsomethingtodrink，Nancy。Burnmybody，makehaste！It'senoughtoturnamanill，toseehisleanoldcarcaseshiveringinthatway，likeauglyghostjustrosefromthegrave。’

Nancyquicklybroughtabottlefromacupboard，inwhichthereweremany：which，tojudgefromthediversityoftheirappearance，werefilledwithseveralkindsofliquids。Sikespouringoutaglassofbrandy，badetheJewdrinkitoff。

‘Quiteenough，quite，thankye，Bill，’repliedtheJew，puttingdowntheglassafterjustsettinghislipstoit。

‘What！You'reafraidofourgettingthebetterofyou，areyou？’inquiredSikes，fixinghiseyesontheJew。‘Ugh！’

Withahoarsegruntofcontempt，Mr。Sikesseizedtheglass，andthrewtheremainderofitscontentsintotheashes：asapreparatoryceremonytofillingitagainforhimself：whichhedidatonce。

TheJewglancedroundtheroom，ashiscompaniontosseddownthesecondglassful；notincuriousity，forhehadseenitoftenbefore；butinarestlessandsuspiciousmannerhabitualtohim。Itwasameanlyfurnishedapartment，withnothingbutthecontentsoftheclosettoinducethebeliefthatitsoccupierwasanythingbutaworkingman；andwithnomoresuspiciousarticlesdisplayedtoviewthantwoorthreeheavybludgeonswhichstoodinacorner，anda‘life-preserver’thathungoverthechimney-piece。

‘There，’saidSikes，smackinghislips。‘NowI'mready。’

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